Needle threader



Oct. 10, 1950 J, JAMQ 2,525,034

NEEDLE THREADER Filed Feb. 17, 1947 Jahn M Jamo Stream;

Patented Oct. 10,

The present invention relates to needlethreaders'" and'more particularlyto a device for threading the needles of sewing machines, and thisapplication is a continuation-impart of mycopending application SerialNo. 601,506, filed June I 25, 1945, now matured into Patent No.2,476,872, dated July 19, 1949.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a needle threaderhaving a manually operable plungerfor engaging a thread and passing thesame through the eye of a needle; to provide such a needle'threaderhaving means for mechanically positioning the plunger opposite the eyeofthe needle with a thread .therebetween thus reducing V eyestrain andtime lost in positioning the device by eye; to provide such a needlethreader composed of-partswhich can be economically made and assembled;to provide such a needle threader havingan improved plunger forpositively, engaging the thread to': pass the same through the needleseye.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein: I

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective viewofcertain parts of a sewingmachine with my new;

cluding the needles eye, thread, and the end of the plunger of thedevice in position for threading the needle, the section being taken onlines 44 of Figures 5 and 6;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the same taken on lines 55 ofFigures 4 and 6; and Figure 6' is a fragmentary front elevational viewof the lower end of a needle including the a claims. (ci ia-225) needleseye, thread, and the plunger of the device in position for threading theneedle.

Referring now in detail to 'these drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by the same numerals in the several views, the needlethreader there shown has an elongated body comprising complementary body"members I and [I having.

ends thereof. Adjoining, complementary recesses in the body members l0and l 1 form a horizontal cylindrical plunger bore l5, a vertical threadseat IS, a vertical needle seat I'l adjacent the thread seat, l6 andconforming to the shapeof a needle,

and a rectangular stop seat 18 which intersects the" plungerboremedially thereof and at righti:..angles thereto. I V '1,

A plunger l9 isreciprocally mounted in the plunger bore I5 of the body,said plunger having a reduced forward end portion 20 extending througha'reduced forward end portion 2| of the plunger bore, said end portionsof the plunger and the bore being rectangular in cross-section and beingvertically elongated to substantially correspond with the shape-ofaneedles eye. The upper side of the plunger is cut away along a portionthereof to form a channel 22 having shoulders-23' and 24 at its oppositeends adapted to contact, a stop 25 which is disposed in the stop .[seatLI and which extends into thelchannel n thus to limit the reciprocatingmovements of the plunger 19.

The rearward end portion of the plunger I9 extends to the exterior ofthe body and is pro- .vided with a head 26 on the extremity thereof.

A coiled compression spring 21 circumscribes the rearward end portion ofthe plunger 19 and is interposed between the plungers head 26 and thebody of the device, and said spring serves to normally urge the plungerin a rearwardly direction awayfrom the thread seat I6 so that thereduced forward end portion 20 of the plunger normally lies rearwardlyof said thread seat.

The needle threader is adapted to be applied to a sewing machine28-shown fragmentarily in Figure 1 which has a clamp 29 for retainingthe upper end of a needle 30 in such a manner that the measured distancefrom the clamp 29 to the needles eye 3| is constant. The measureddistance from the plunger l9 to the top of the body of theneedlethreader is equal to said distance from the clamp 29 to the needles eye3|, and the threader may by this vmeans be mechanically positioned withthe needles eye in alignment with the plunger and with a thread 32positioned therebetween in the thread seat IS.

The forward extremity of the plungers reduced end portion 20 isbifurcated as best illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6. One prong 33 ofthe bifurcation extends in an upwardly and outwardly direction while theother prong 34 of the bifurcation extends in a downwardly and oppositelyoutwardly direction. The plungers extremity is thus positively adaptedto engage the thread 32 and to pass the thread through the otherwisemounted on a sewing machine and thus incorporated in such machines atthe time of their manufacture. While but one specific embodiment of theinvention has been herein shown and described, it will be understoodthat the deq vice may be modified without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as the same is defined by the following claims,

Iclaim:

1. In a needle threader, a body having a horizontal plunger bore, avertical thread seat, and a vertical needle seat for seating a needlewith the eye thereof in alignment with said plunger bore with a threadtherebetween, and a plunger reciprocally mounted in the plunger bore andhaving an end portion adapted to engage said thread and pass the samethrough the needles eye, said end portion of the plunger beingbifurcated to form a thread-engaging notch, one prong of the bifurcationextendin in an upwardly and outwardly direction, and the other prong ofsaid bifurcation extending in a downwardly and oppositely outwardlydirection.

2. In a needle threader, in combination with :a needle having an eyenear the point and a clamp for retaining the other end of the needle:and maintaining said needle in a vertical position pointing downward, abody having a horizontal plunger bore, a vertical needle seat, and avertical thread seat adjacent the needle seat and extending between theneedle seat and said plunger bore, measured stop means on the bodyadapted to engage said clamp for aligning the ,emi l.

needles eye with the plunger bore and with a thread in the thread seat,and a plunger reciprocally mounted in the plunger bore and having an endportion adapted to engage said thread and pass the same through theneedles eye, said end portion of the plunger being bifurcated to form athread-engaging notch, one prong of the bifurcation extending in anupwardly and outwardly direction, and the other prong of saidbifurcation extending in a, downwardly and oppositely outwardlydirection. i

3. In a needle threader, a body having a horizontal plunger bore, avertical thread seat, and

a vertical needle seat for seating a needle with the eye thereof inalignment with said plunger bore and with a thread therebetween, and aplunger reciprocally mounted in the plunger bore and having an endportion adapted to engage said thread and pass the same through theneedles eye, said end portion of the plunger havingpa greater verticaldimension than horizontal dimension and bein bifurcated to formvertically spaced prongs, said prongs being oppositely later ally bentto engage therebetween a vertical thread.

' JOHN N. JAMO:

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record, in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland 'June 29, 1896

